Accordion

Come prepared to be swept away by the spirited music of Finnish-American progressive acoustic folk duo Kaivama (Sara Pajunen, fiddle & vocals; Jonathan Rundman, guitar, harmonium & vocals), joined this evening by their good friends from Finland, the vivacious Polka Chicks (Kukka Lehto, fiddle/mandola and vocals; Teija Niku, accordion & vocals).

With sets from each duo, and some pieces performed jointly, the evening promises to be a superb showcase of vital Finnish folk music and original compositions, as interpreted by some of the best players on either side of the Atlantic.  Music that is by turns joyous, primal, experimental, haunting, astonishingly beautiful, and time-honored; truly something for everyone to enjoy.

Presented as a seated show, but there'll be some room for dancing in the wings if those polkas carry you away!

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Cafe Accordion Orchestra returns to The Cedar for their eighth annual January concert. This time they will be celebrating the release of their ninth full-length album, La Zingara. The concert and album will feature a broad range of sounds from cultures connected to the Gypsy lifestyle, from French Manouche to the Bohemian drifter and
American cowboy. CAO brings with them the two special guests that wowed last years sold-out house, vocalist Diane Jarvi and clarinetist Tony Balluff. Diane has a voice that is amazingly supple with an astonishing dynamic range and quality. Tony has been rocking and swinging concert stages and dance halls for years with his smooth New
Orleans style. Their collaboration with CAO has become a highlight for band and audience members alike.

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Dark Dark Dark celebrate the release of Who Needs Who, the follow-up to 2010's Wild Go.  Who Needs Who is a stirring and rich body of songs that sees the band breaking ground, and settling into the strengths of a quintet that has worked incredibly hard, both on the road and in their personal lives. "Many of these songs are about understanding and accepting the nuances of my emotions. The obvious parts and the dark parts. There are times when it’s important to quit fantasizing and face the truth about what is happening,” says primary writer and singer Nona. Who Needs Who is ultimately refreshing and rewarding, and marks the beginning of a bold and promising chapter for Dark Dark Dark.

Sweet harmonizing Mountain Man return after their knockout set on the Cedar patio last summer, along with one-woman orchestra Emily Wells, back at the Cedar after opening for the Portland Cello Project in April.

Wrap up your celebrations of St Patrick's Day with this foot-stompin' concert featuring traditional Acadian multi-instrumentalists/dancers Pastelle and Emmanuelle LeBlanc, and Pascal Miousse (fiddle, mandolin, lead guitar). Vishten’s music is a hardy mixture of the French, Irish and Scottish styles of Eastern Canada, with fiery fiddling and powerful step dancing taking front and center. The songs are French, sung by each band member, alone or in four part harmony, and the mood is unabashedly joyful.

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Genre-hopping favorites Café Accordion Orchestra return for another night of French-inspired musical fun. Midnight in Paris is a follow up to last year’s successful show, French Music and Music of the French Diaspora. CAO will conjure up the dark and exotic feel of late night in the City of Lights with French Musette, Gypsy and American swing, and French-tinged music from around the world.

CAO will bring two guests to the stage at this year's concert.

Captivating chanteuse DIANE JARVI is a singer-songwriter known for her poetic and jazzy approach to world folk music. She has appeared on two of Cafe Accordion Orchestra's recordings, and will sing French, Occitane, Cabo Verdean Creole and American French classics. Read more »

The Cedar warmly welcomes back Irish traditional folk group Altan, featuring Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (vocals / fiddle), Dermot Byrne (accordion), Ciarán Tourish (fiddle / whistles), Ciarán Curran (bouzouki), and local representative Dáithí Sproule (guitar). Altan have been hard at work on a new album, so expect lots of new tunes, as well as a generous smattering of the old favorites.

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The Cedar welcomes one-of-a-kind klezmer rapper Socalled! Impossible to pigeonhole, and utterly irrepressible, Socalled has to be seen and heard to be believed. As Socalled (Josh Dolgin) explains, "Hip hop is all about representing who you are, your crew. I’m this little white Jewish dude living in the country. It doesn’t make sense for me to rap about guns, cars, and hos. I’m not going to rap about hos,” comments SoCalled. “What should I make music about? I should try to represent who I am. When I began digging for samples, I found these old Jewish records, and they were a clue about this funky, old tradition that had been forgotten. Yiddish theater, Cantorial music...all kinds of weird sounds…and the records had the most amazing breaks! And I realized that I could make my hip hop - my music from them.” 

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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A conjunction of two great American musical traditions: the spicy Cajun and Zydeco mix of BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, and the forward-thinking bluegrass of Bearfoot!

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

Ticket options and info

• On sale date: noon Fri Jul 15
• Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($1 fee per ticket)
• In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby before and after shows (no fee), Depth of Field (no fee), or Electric Fetus (small fee)
• Online: Ticketweb (fees apply) (click on red Buy Tickets button at top of this page)
• All Cedar shows are all ages.
• Students with ID may gain discounted admission for tickets at the door.

The third night of Global Roots Festival 2011 celebrates the music of migrants and travellers.

Dikanda is a young Polish band that plays a mix of traditional East-European and gypsy music, plus their own compositions.

Aar Maanta is a charismatic Somali-born singer who has assembled a multinational band in his new home of London, and has been described by young British Somalis as "the voice of our generation." He takes traditional Somali singing and puts it into a modern, cross-cultural context.

This event is FREE! Cedar donors will have the option of early admission (6.45pm). Partially seated show.

Singer and accordionist Joaquin Diaz plays infectious merengue dance music from the Caribbean. Colombian sensation Bombo Estéreo returns to the Cedar with their unique "Electro Tropical." Joaquin Diaz will play first, followed by Bombo Estéreo.

This event is FREE! Cedar donors will have the option of early admission (6.45pm). Standing show.